The husband and I recently set up a dual DVD/VHS player that we purchased (7 months ago). After successful installation we pulled out a storage bin containing our joint VHS collection. The merger of acquisitions has never been so strange. Rifling through the box there is a clear delineation between his and mine. Platoon situated next to Porky’s, I bet that was something Oliver Stone never expected. I was also struck that Topher’s (said husband) collection had a feeling of cohesion whereas my collection resembled one belonging to a southern style Sybil.
I excitedly grabbed my copy of Tarzan and his Mate circa 1932 starring Johnny Weissmuller and threw it in for viewing. As I sit here and watch the natives plunge down the face of the escarpment. I think about my VHS choices and the little snapshots of my life they offer.
Mothered by an Ape-He knew only the law of the jungle-to seize what he wanted!
I have both Tarzan the Ape Man and Tarzan and his Mate. My father introduced me to the Weissmuller series at the ripe old age of 12. AMC was having a week long special of Tarzan films and my father promptly yelled for me, “to get a load of this!” From my father I learned an appreciation of all things tasteless. Just the other day we watched a Sci-Fi film “Sasquatch.” I stepped away from the TV for a few moments and heard the excited screams “Squatch, squatch!” The Sasquatch by the way looked like Craig T. Nelson.
I digress; Tarzan offers a great snapshot into 1930s perceptions of race. The poor natives in this film take headers off the escarpment while belting out death cries similar to Goofy. I primarily enjoyed the loincloths and yodeling.
Gidget
Oh my god, I love Gidget so much. Moondoggie and the Big Kahuna are just about the dreamiest cats around! That’s right, dreamy. Gidget is my Id. A big part of me wants to be a 60s era California surfer gal (I also have the Endless Summer, but that’s more for the woodies.) Guys in 1950s short shorts and Keds; say what you will but, it makes me wanna put on some pedal pushers, throw my hair in a bubble flip, and have a mad cap summer adventure. All my life I’ve wanted to go to a clambake. Awesome bathing suits, hairstyles, long board surfing stunts, pre blue screen backdrops, and spontaneous songs are all the right ingredients for summer fun.
Moondoggie is rocking the manpris!
Shag
Or as I like to think of it Gidget with a side of tater tots and a tumbler of Jim Beam, a little more low rent and a lot more fun. Shag is Gidget if Sandra Dee had gone to Ninety Six high school and been a fan of Ripete Records. Shag is the story of four good time girls from Spartanburg who live it up one wild weekend in Myrtle Beach. I have heard many a tirade from my father about how anybody who was anybody in the 60s NEVER went to Myrtle Beach. The only place to be seen was the pad in OD, that's Ocean Drive for all you Shag laymen. So deep into my subconscious this movie has delved I have found myself using Shag lines in appropriate situations. Usually one right after another, “We can have a good time, but we cannot be wild.” Ten minutes later I am usually caterwauling, “this is the most fun!” While I’ve always wanted to be Gidget my life turned out to be Shag; which is way more fun
West Side Story
The tale of star crossed lovers Maria and Tony and the feud between the Sharks and the Jets, Westside Story was my gateway musical. Prior to viewing I had been a fan of all the requisite musicals. The ones that no matter what your views on Broadway may be, as a girl, you have to love. Mainly just Grease. Grease was the only option before Legally Blonde and Hairspray. There was no Zac Ephron, just John Travolta and that guy who’s now on Celebrity Rehab..Kenickie.
Romeo and Juliet with an urban flair Tony and Maria sang and danced their way into love and even into death. Well, just his death, Maria has enough and gives a verbal beat down so severe she scares the Sharks and Jets straight; at least until the end credits. West Side Story starred Natalie Wood and the fantastic Rita Moreno who could both purr with the best of them. Tony and Bernardo should have never had it so good.
Evil Dead
Rounding out my collection sampling is this cinematic masterpiece. I think there is a certain faction of the population that find this movie irresistible. A faction that consists primarily of twelve year old boys. Chainsaw armed Ash taking out zombie turned friends, people getting sexually assaulted by trees, and shovel beheadings are just a few of my favorite things. My best friend’s husband and I love to go on and on about this movie. Our spouses just look on at us with bored disdain. It’s very possible she and I married the male versions of one another; but that’s possibly another blog all together. Lesson here: You find a book made out of people, don’t open it.
This guy loves Evil Dead a way lot. Watching this I feel like I’m riding around in Hunter S. Thompson’s head.
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1 comment:
That sounds like a fun collection. Bonus points on the use of "escarpment" as I love that word, but rarely have occasion to use it!
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